Never Forget
by Angel Of Light
Summary: Takeru's thoughts and greivances over a friend after she has passed on.
1. Thoughts

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Don't forget me...

Takaishi Takeru awoke with a start. That dream....he had had the same dream every night since the accident.

Takeru couldn't get it out of his head. No matter how hard he tried. He had lost all the shine from his eyes. They were no longer filled with hope, as they had once been.

All the other's seemed to be getting over it. Slightly. After all, it had been two months.

But Takeru, on the other hand, didn't think he would _ever _get over it.

Without her.....Life didn't seem to have any meaning for him. She wasn't there to brighten up his day. To share secrets. To love....

Takeru's eyes were clouded with tears. He had to stop doing this. Remembering her just made it worse. But if he forgot her, she would really and truly be gone. Forever.

And he didn't want that. For her to be truly gone, Takeru could not stand it.

Then, Takeru thought of his other friends, and how they had been dealing with this tragedy.

Daisuke had taken it especially hard. He even stopped wearing his goggles. Daisuke wasn't his fun, happy-go-lucky self anymore. Not anymore.

Miyako and Iori didn't know what to think. They weren't as close to her as the rest had been. Sure, they had both shed their share of tears, but they seemed mostly like their old selves.

Ken....well...he had taken it almost as hard as Takeru. He had always felt a special bond with her. After all, they were both subjects to that mysterious dark ocean. 

As for the old gang, they all....well...they all felt so _drained. _Especially Taichi. 

Takeru stopped his thoughts on the others for a moment.

..Taichi...He couldn't even imagine how horrible Taichi felt about losing his own sister.

Takeru reached over and picked up his phone and dialed the Yagami's number.

After four rings, Taichi picked up.

"Hello?" He asked with a sigh.

"Taichi?"

"Takeru?" Taichi questioned, not sure he had heard right.

"Yeah."

"How _are_ you?" 

"Oh, well you know. Okay."

"Takeru, I....well....this might sound weird, but why are you calling me?"

Takeru blinked for moment. Then he remembered. After the accident, he hadn't kept in touch with anyone. They had all called and come to see him, but he wouldn't take any of the calls, or see them.

"Well...I-i honestly don't know, Taichi."

Taichi smiled slightly. This was an improvement. Takeru hadn't kept in contact since "the accident." But now, out of the blue, he had called him.

"It's good to hear from you, Takeru."

"I just can't stop thinking about her." Takeru blurted out.

Taichi was silent for a moment. 

"..Tai...? " Takeru questioned, breaking the silence and using his nickname.

Takeru heard a slight sob on the other end.

"You-you..called me Tai.." Taichi stated shakily, finding his voice again.

"That's what she called you...." Takeru suddenly realized what he had done. "Oh, gosh. Taichi. I'm so sorry...!" 

Taichi sniffed. "Don't worry about it, Takeru. It's good that you remember."

"But..."

"Listen, Takeru. I have to get off the phone, okay?"

Takeru nodded, then realized that Taichi couldn't see him nodding. "Okay." He choked out.

Taichi hung up, leaving Takeru to stare at the phone receiver, listening to the dial tone.

Once again, tears clouded his vision.

"Why did this have to happen to her..Why not me?" Takeru mumbled to himself.

He flopped down onto his bed. A silver picture frame caught his eye.

Takeru picked it up and gazed at the picture only taken a few months ago. 

The picture was of Takeru and Hikari. He had his arms around her shoulders and Hikari was blushing.

Miyako had taken that picture. Hikari had reluctantly lent Miyako her digital camera, her prized possession.

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Don't forget me, Takeru-kun...

Her voice echoed through his head. Those were the last words that she spoke to him before she died.

Takeru could never fully remember how Hikari had died that day. Sure, he could've remembered if he wanted to. But he didn't. Takeru felt that it was his entire fault. He never wanted to relive that day again.

But he knew, that someday, he would....

Author's Notes: Stay tuned...for chapter two ^_^

Oh yeah, Chapter two will mostly be flashbacks, as Takeru journey's back to the day of the accident during a dream..

Please review and tell me what you think! ^_^

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	2. Remembering

Takeru passed the rest of the day normally, well....at least as normal as his days had been since 'the accident.'

He went to the Odiba cemetery to visit her, as he had done every day since her death.

Every day, he brought a pink rose on his visits. He placed it on her headstone and sat down on a cold, stone bench that had been placed there a few weeks ago.

"Hey..Hikari-chan, How are you today?"

As usual, he received no response. Just the sound of the cold breeze, rustling the trees.

Takeru pulled the collar of his jacket up. It was really starting to get cold.

He looked at the pink rose, to find that it had started to wilt, in spite of the cold.

"That's what happened to you...wasn't it, Hikari-chan?"

"You're light faded, and you wilted."

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

"Without my light, how can I live on in hope?"

Takeru stopped and shook his head, realizing he was talking to himself. He knew she would never answer back. No matter how hard he tried.

Takeru sighed, and wiped away a fresh tear that was threatening to roll down his cheek.

For the longest time, he just sat there, listening to the silence in the cemetery.

After about two hours of just sitting there, staring into nothingness, someone approached Takeru, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Takeru looked up, half expecting -hoping- to see Hikari standing there. But it wasn't.

It was Motimya Daisuke.

"Hey, Takeru."

"I thought you were her." Takeru seemed to be looking right through Daisuke.

Daisuke blinked. "Her?"

"The light is gone, isn't it, Daisuke?"

Daisuke took a seat beside the anguished boy. 

"Hey, now." Daisuke began, trying his best not to cry and trying to be as cheerful as possible to lighten up Takeru's current state. "Hikari wouldn't want you to be like this, now would she?"

Takeru didn't reply. He stared at the ground.

"She'd want you to live on, and be happy." Daisuke paused, looking at Takeru for any kind of a reaction.

Takeru clenched and unclenched his fists. His mind was spinning. Why was Daisuke doing this? He thought that Daisuke of all people would hate him. Blame him. Yet, he didn't.

"Why, Daisuke?" Takeru said, finally, looking up at the spiky haired boy.

"Why what?"

"Why don't you blame me?"

Daisuke was slightly taken aback. "Blame you? It was not your fault."

"But, you see, It is!" Takeru cried. "It's entirely my fault! I let her down...again! I should have protected her more, I should've watched out for her!" 

Daisuke looked at Takeru with warm eyes. "Takeru, you have done more for Hikari, than any of us. You were her best friend. You protected her at any costs. And most of all, you loved her."

"We all did, love her, I mean. But you most of all. She was your light and you were her hope. A perfect team." he continued.

"You two were the perfect couple." Daisuke said, almost sadly with a small chuckle.

Takeru looked to Daisuke with questions in his eyes. But all he did was give a tiny smile.

Takeru got up and left the cemetery, leaving Daisuke alone.

"Takeru, wait!" Daisuke called after him, but Takeru kept on going. He arrived at his apartment and went straight to his room without a greeting to his Mother. 

She was quite worried about him. Takeru's mother had noticed a drastic change in him after Hikari had passed away.

She sighed slightly and went back to typing away at her computer.

Takeru entered his room and glanced at his clock radio. It was 7:00pm.

He kept thinking about what Daisuke had said to him earlier. Could he really have meant what he said? Could it really be true?

Takeru flopped down onto his bed and turned on his side. He stared at the wall.

"Hikari.." He whispered, before, surprisingly, falling into a deep sleep.

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~Takeru's dream, reliving the day of the accident

Takeru walked along one of Odiba's busy main streets. He had his head down, and was thinking about the events that were going to take place that night.

All of the digidestined, (new and old) were going to see Yamato's concert, and then they were all going out to get a bite to eat. It had been awhile since they had all been together.

"Takeru-kun!" a voice called him.

Takeru looked up, and there was Hikari, on the other side of the street, waving to him with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Hikari-chan!"

She shouted something else to him, but he didn't hear, as a bunch of cars passed by, blocking out the sound of her voice.

When the cars had passed, he saw Hikari step out into the street to cross over to meet him.

Hikari stepped down off the curb and started crossing the street.

Before she could even cry out, an oncoming bus lost control and plowed right into her.

Takeru stood there, frozen in shock. He was suddenly brought back to reality by screams of people all around him.

"Someone call an ambulance!"

"Is she all right?"

"What happened?"

Takeru ran out into the street to Hikari's side.

He knelt beside her.

Hikari's eyes were slightly open.

She smiled at Takeru and uttered her last words.

"Don't forget me, Takeru-kun..."

And with that, her eyes closed, and never opened again.

Takeru didn't comprehend what had happened. He shook her lightly.

"Hikari-chan...'Kari....Hikari! Please, open your eyes!" He cried, not wanting to believe what had actually happened.

When she didn't respond, nor move at all, Takeru became almost hysterical.

Finally, when the ambulance arrived, someone had to pull him away from Hikari and lead him gently to the side.

The kind bystander asked him if there was anyone that they could call for him.

"Ishida Yamato." He managed to mumble out.

The woman nodded and pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number that Takeru had given to her.

About ten minutes later, Yamato showed up and after briefly conversing with the woman, he led Takeru into his car.

Once they had been driving for a few minutes, Yamato wiped tears from his eyes and tried to talk to Takeru. 

"Takeru...." He began, but stopped when he looked into Takeru's eyes. They were no longer the eyes of a hopeful, happy boy. They were almost blank, and filled with anguish and sorrow.

They rode the rest of the way to Takeru's apartment in silence.

When they arrived, Yamato took Takeru up to his apartment and talked with his Mother, explaining what had happened.

Takeru had confined himself to his bedroom and didn't come out for days.

Yamato had his concert as planned, but his heart wasn't in it.

A few days later, Hikari's funeral was held. Takeru didn't go.

~End Flashback~

Takeru awoke suddenly. That dream......he had remembered everything from the accident. 

And in some ways, he was glad he did.

Takeru looked at his clock. It was only 8:00pm, and he had slept for just an hour.

He got up and went out for a walk.

Takeru walked along and found himself in the cemetery yet again.

He headed to Hikari's place, and was surprised to find someone else there.

It was Taichi.

"Taichi-san." Takeru said, announcing his presence.

Taichi looked up.

"Takeru-kun?"

Takeru nodded.

Taichi stood up and approached the blonde hared boy; He held something out to Takeru.

"Here."

Takeru took the object from Taichi and gasped at what it was.

"Hikari's camera?"

"Yes, I've been keeping it for a long time now, and I think you should have it. Hikari would've wanted it that way."

"Taichi, are you sure?"

"I am. Oh and this too." Taichi handed Takeru a small wrapped package.

"What's this?" Takeru asked.

"I found this...on Hikari's desk....It was addressed to you. I think it was a present for you." Taichi replied.

Takeru opened the package with shaking hands. 

Inside, was a framed picture of Hikari and himself that they had taken at a picnic with a pink and yellow-stripped frame around it.

Takeru turned it over and written on the back of the photo was:

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Takeru,

Hope and light together forever!

Love, Hikari.

Takeru's eyes misted over. She really had loved him. And Takeru still loved Hikari with all of his heart.

Taichi gave Takeru a small pat on the back and left.

Takeru glanced upwards, towards the heavens and smiled.

"Even if you are gone, we'll still be together, Hikari-chan..."

~Fin~

Author's notes: It's done. Yay ^_^

Please review and tell me what you think!

Any requests for my next story to start working on ?

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